Lemon Lava Cakes

With an exploding centre, these lemon lava cakes really are spectacle! Found this recipe by Rachel Khoo. With lightly crisped edges and oh-so oozy delicious lemony centre, you can make your own lemon curd. I am too lazy to make and opt for the shop bought lemon curd ! 

Ingredients:

• 4 ramekins, buttered and dust with caster sugar
• 100g butter, softened
• 80g caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp to dust the ramekins
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp whole milk
• zest of 3 unwaxed lemons
• 100g plain flour
• 6 tbsp of lemon curd

Method:

Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Lightly beat the eggs and gradually add them to the mix, beating all the time, followed by the milk and lemon zest. Sift the flour into the mix and incorporate well.

Divide the cake batter between the ramekins until just over half full. 

Take the pipping or food bag and snip off the corner. Insert the tip into the centre of each batter-filled ramekin. pipe the curd into each one until the ramekins are two-thirds full. Place on a baking tray .

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and spring back when touched.

Immediately run a knife around the edges of the cakes before turning out from the ramekins on to a serving plates. Serve straight away. 

Fu Pei Guen (Beancurd Skin Rolls)

Another must order dish when visiting a dim sum restaurant. I used the left over filling from my siew mai making.

Ingredients:
For the filling:

• 250g minced pork/chicken
• 125g prawns, chopped
• 8 water chestnuts, chopped
• 1 spring onions, sliced thinly
• 2cm ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• ½ tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• a dash of shaoxing wine or sherry
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp corn flour
• 5 pieces 8"x 8" beancurd skin

For the sauce:

• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• ½ cup chicken stock
• a dash of shaoxing wine/sherry
• a pinch of white pepper
• corn flour for thickening

Method:

Place all the ingredients for filling a large bowl and mix well.

To wrap the roll-Place a piece of the beancurd skin on a flat surface, use a damp cloth to wipe  the beancurd skin to remove the excess salt and to soften the wrapper a little. Place about 3 heaped tablespoon of the filling in the middle of the beancurd skin.

Roll the beancurd skin over and fold the sides to form an envelope.

Roll tightly into a cylinder about 4" long. Brush a little egg white on the edge to secure the roll. Shallow fry beancurd skin rolls in batches until golden. Remove and drain well.

To prepare the sauce: Saute garlic and ginger with cooking oil for a few seconds then add in the stock, shaoxing wine and white pepper. Allow it to come to a boil and thicken with a little corn flour solution.

Arrange the beancurd skin rolls in a shallow bowl, pour half of the sauce over, cover and steam over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Sprinkles with spring onion julienne and serve immediately.

Dry Beef Noodles (Dry Beef Hor Fun)

Ingredients:

• 300g flat noodles
• 250g steak, slice thinly 
• 2 handful bean sprouts 
• 5-6 slices of ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/2 onion, sliced thinly 
• 2 stalks spring onion, cut into 2 inch pieces
• Cooking oil 

Marinate for beef:

• 1 tsp corn flour 
• Splash of water
• 1/2 tsp sugar 
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine or sherry
• Dash of white pepper

Seasoning for noodles:

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce 
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
• Splash of water
• white pepper to taste 

Method:

In a bowl mix marinate for beef together, then marinate beef for at least 20-30 minutes.

In a small bowl, add all the ingredients listed for seasoning for noodles, stir to combine.

Heat wok on high heat until smoking point. Add 2 tbsp cooking oil and swirl to coat the wok. Add the beef to sear, toss to sear the other side for about a minute or so, do not over-cook. Remove beef slices and set aside.

Add another 2 tbsp oil, toss in the onion, garlic and ginger. Stir fry for 30 second and add in the noodles . Give it a quick toss. Add in noodles seasoning and toss to coat. 

Add beans sprouts and give it a good stir to mix well with the noodles. Add in the beef, spring onions and give it a quick toss, and remove from heat.

Serve immediately.

Kuih Lopes

Kuih Lopes has many versions but the Northern Malaysia version is pandan flavoured glutinous rice cakes, rolled in coconut and served with gula melaka syrup. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cup glutinous rice
• 2 cup coconut milk
• ½ cup pandan juice
• ½ tsp lye water
• ½ tsp salt
• few drop of green colouring
• grated fresh coconut add with a pinch of salt

Method:

Wash the glutinous rice and soak the rice in the water with a few drop of green colouring and the lye water for at least 30 minutes. 

Pour the soaked rice into a pan. Add in the coconut milk and pandan juice. Mix well. Steam the rice in a steamer until cook or ¾ cook. 

When the coconut milk is nearly dry up, stir the rice to mix well. Set aside to cool slightly.

While waiting the rice to cool slightly, clean and prepare the banana leaves. Cut to 10" x 6" pieces. Run over flames to soften the leaves.

Take the amount of about a cup cooked glutinous  rice (or to the amount you think is enough for the banana leaf) and roll it in the banana leaf. Roll it tightly and snugly into a cylinder shape . Tie firmly with strings on both ends like a giant sweet.

Arrange the rolls in the steamer and steam for 15-20 minutes. Let the rolls cool completely before unwrapping the lopes. 

Cut slices with a thread to about ½ inch width.  Roll the lopes with grated coconut. Serve with drizzle of gula melaka syrup.

Fudgy Chocolate Avocado Loaf

Wow !! They are out of this world. Who would have guessed-chocolate and avocado. This was the start of a great new thing.

This indulgent, fudgy vegan bake is topped with rich frosting- you have never guess that it is free from dairy, eggs and nuts. The great thing about this vegan chocolate avocado loaf is it only includes 9 ingredients. Simple stuff !!!

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 110ml plant-based milk (almond, soy or oat)
• 200g dark chocolate
• 1 avocado
• 150g self-raising flour
• 150g light brown sugar
• 60ml coffee
• 1 tsp baking powder

For the ganache:

• 150g dark chocolate
• 100ml plant-based milk (almond, soy or oat)

For the topping:

• dark chocolate

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C for fan oven. Line an approx 8"x4" loaf tin with baking paper.

In a small bowl, stir together the apple cider vinegar and plant-based milk to create a buttermilk. Leave to one side while you continue the next step.

Add the dark chocolate to a metal or glass bowl over a saucepan containing hot water. Bring the water to a gentle simmer on a low heat (make sure the water level isn't high enough so it's contact with the bowl).  Stir occasionally. Once the chocolate has melted completely remove the bowl from the heat and transfer the chocolate to a food processor.

Slice the avocado in half and remove the stone. Scoop out the flesh into the food processor along with the self-raising flour, sugar, coffee, baking powder and the buttermilk from earlier. Process the ingredients until completely smooth but avoid over-processing the mixture otherwise the loaf might not rise.

Transfer the mixture to the lined loaf tin. Give the tin a shake to level the top and use the back of a spoon to push the mixture into the edges. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 50 minutes.

Remove the loaf from the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for around 30 minutes, or until the loaf "sinks" back into itself a little.

When the loaf is ready, start making the ganache by adding the dark chocolate and plant-based milk to a metal or glass bowl over a saucepan containing  some hot water. Bring the water to a gentle simmer on a low heat (make sure the water level isn't high enough so it's contact with the bowl). Stir occasionally. Once the chocolate has melted completely, remove the bowl from the heat and pour the ganache over the top of the loaf. Give the tin a shake to even out the ganache and leave it to set at room temperature or, if it's a warm day, leave it to cool then pop it in the fridge until it has set.

When you are ready to serve, pull the loaf out of the tin using the baking paper and shave some dark chocolate on top. Slice and enjoy!  Serve with strawberries or vegan ice cream.